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Power Players – Africa Tech Festival’s 2023 Headliner Line-up

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2 years ago

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Africa Tech Festival

Top notch speaker list, including several government ministers, exemplifies importance of tech to drive Africa’s needed economic big boom

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 5, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Africa has abundant economic potential and the enormous uptake of digital technology socially and in the business sector, has positioned the continent for explosive growth, but there are challenges that lie in wait.  Many of these will be spotlighted at the 2023 Africa Tech Festival (https://apo-opa.info/3myppVu) in Cape Town 13-16 November, along with innovative solutions all led by a line-up of headline speakers including several African government ministers.

“Businesses across Africa have benefitted enormously from leap-frogging traditional technology to the digital world and wireless connectivity, and this is spurring incredible growth across the continent,” says James Williams, Director, Events | Connecting Africa | Informa Tech. “The incredible advantages of digitalisation are, however, dependent on a plentiful and reliable source of power, and it’s essential that the public sector has strong strategies in place to drive this growth.”

The tech world is driven by entrepreneurial innovators, but it relies heavily on the public sector to provide infrastructure, regulations and often funding to smooth the way for technological advancement, especially in terms of providing access and infrastructure for the public to access to engage with and benefit from the technology.

Among the 200-plus speakers, presenters and panellists will be Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, whose input on how the South African government is tackling the critical issue of loadshedding will no doubt ensured a packed hall of delegates all hopeful of hearing positive news. The dynamic H.E. Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency responsible for electricity, will provide backup to the Minister in shining a light on the country’s energy crisis.

Not to be missed, is the panel discussion ‘Universal Power Access: Plotting a Route Through Africa’s Electricity Challenge’, which puts the future of digital transformation squarely on the shoulders of electricity and citizens’ access to energy.

In Africa, energy insecurity has been a chronic inhibitor of economic development for decades, and continues to cripple enterprise growth and innovation, and the panel will unpack why a staggering 30 of Africa’s 54 nations face daily power shortages and supply interruptions, all of which play economic havoc with local business and consumer activity. It’s important to understand how the collaboration of public and private funding is essential for striking the right balance between the two sectors to create the perfect solution to the crisis.

Also addressing delegates will be H.E. Ousmane Gaoual Diallo, the Republic of Guinea’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, as well as Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology, H.E. Minister Dr Peya Mushelenga, and their Executive Director & Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Audrin Mathe.

Another key area of public sector engagement with the tech sector will be discussed in the keynote panel ‘Unleashing Digital Prosperity: How Progressive Policy is Shaping Africa’s Tech Transformation’. This session will present African Ministers from across the continent with an opportunity to share how they are tailoring policy to their unique national environment and priorities, in addition to the need for a more continental, collaborative approach.

“The process of developing and implementing policy across myriad industries and sectors is, however, an inherently complex and lengthy process and relies heavily on industry consultation, sector-specific legislation and flexibility to evolve with rapidly changing sectors,” says Williams, highlighting the importance of the growing number of Ministerial delegations at Africa Tech Festival year on year. 

Among the high-level speakers sharing with delegates over the three days are:

  • Dion Jerling (Co-Founder, Connect Earth)
  • Richard Cazalet (Exec: Strategy and Transformation, Telkom SA)
  • Robert AOUAD (CEO, ISOCEL Telecom)
  • Russell Southwood (CEO, Balancing Act)
  • Vuyani Tati (Managing Partner, AfriTech Catalytic Growth Fund),
  • Jocelyn Nyaguse (Head of Marketing and Storytelling, Startupbootcamp AfriTech)
  • Calvin Govender (General Manager ICT Fixed Services, MTN)
  • Marjorie Saint-Lot (Country Manager, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, Uber)
  • Evan Jones (CEO, The Collective X)
  • Nfaly Sylla (Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Republic of Guinea)
  • Kellie Murungi (Chief Investments Officer, East African Power)
  • John Davies (TMT Equity Research Analyst, EMEA, TMT, Bloomberg Intelligence) An expanded list of speakers is noted below).

Aside from presenting cutting-edge content and a speaker line-up of note, the Africa Tech Festival is also the meeting place of Africa’s largest community of tech champions and offers this vibrant grouping the ideal space to connect and interact. However, just as these connections are so important for the industry, so is the connecting of 1.2-billion people across Africa’s 54 unique nations, vital for the continent’s growth, with cross-border connectivity a particular concern.

Continental broadband penetration is currently around 45%, but this varies dramatically across regions.  Connectivity is critical to the rapidly expanding SME business community, as well as for wider socioeconomic development needs.  Looking at this the fireside chat, ‘Connectivity Beyond Borders: Unlocking Universal Broadband Access in Africa’, will explore how innovations in strategy and technology are aiming to ensure that no individual, business, or community is left behind in Africa’s pursuit of universal broadband access.

While most of the discussions and presentations relate to most players in the industry, the event has been structured in such a way as to ensure that specialists are also able to sit in on the most relevant content to them, either by staying in one venue for a series of talks, or by exploring the ‘centre stages’ in each of the exhibition halls in which masterclasses and presentations will take place.

Other major topics on offer this year include:

  • Connectivity for All: Addressing the Needs of Underserved Communities
  • Driving Innovation: Unravelling the Business Applications of 5G FWA in Africa
  • The Changing Role of Satellites to Leapfrog Africa Into an Era of Online Connectivity.

This year, the Africa Tech Festival will offer delegates several new features, along with six presentation stages and a staggering amount of content, while hundreds of exhibitors on the show floor will once again engage with the brightest tech gurus from around the continent and globally, who will all descend on the Cape Town International Convention Centre to discover the latest products and services and to connect with other tech professionals.

Williams shares that: “This year we have added a new interactive feature to the festival – a dedicated tech demo area that we are sure will draw crowds throughout the three days. It’s a chance to engage with the cutting-edge innovations that Africa needs to know about… as well as some of the exciting innovations that Africa has to offer the world.”

This year we have added a new interactive feature to the festival – a dedicated tech demo area that we are sure will draw crowds throughout the three days

For more information, please see website here: Africa Tech Festival 2023 – The Home of AfricaCom & AfricaTech (https://apo-opa.info/3myppVu)

View all ticket options for Africa Tech Festival, including start-up passes, here (https://apo-opa.info/3Q04o2r).

(Please note that all requests are adjudicated and there may be some delay before you hear back from us).

List of Speakers:

Dion JerlingCo-FounderConnect Earth (https://apo-opa.info/46gFyRs)

Richard CazaletExec: Strategy and TransformationTelkom SA (https://apo-opa.info/3ZFTeTq)

Miriam AltmanDirector: Altman Advisory & Professor of 4IR PracticeUniversity of Johannesburg (https://apo-opa.info/3F2uvzd)

Guy ZibiManaging DirectorXalam Analytics (https://apo-opa.info/46vWqE5)

Robert AOUADCEOISOCEL Telecom (https://apo-opa.info/48DshE8)

Ronan De RenesseSenior Research Director, Service Provider MarketsOmdia (https://apo-opa.info/3ZEV4nH)

Russell SouthwoodCEOBalancing Act (https://apo-opa.info/3Fad7bL)

Matt ReedChief Analyst, Service ProviderOmdia (https://apo-opa.info/3Q0SYLJ)

Vuyani TatiManaging PartnerAfriTech Catalytic Growth Fund (https://apo-opa.info/3Q2cdEx)

Jocelyn NyaguseHead of Marketing and StorytellingStartupbootcamp AfriTech (https://apo-opa.info/3Q38KWg)

Nathan-Ross AdamsData & Tech LawyerMichalsons (https://apo-opa.info/45l5JVP)

Paula GilbertEditorConnecting Africa (https://apo-opa.info/45nYfRL)

Matshepo SehlohoAssociate EditorConnecting Africa (https://apo-opa.info/45jiVKW)

Calvin GovenderGeneral Manager ICT Fixed ServicesMTN (https://apo-opa.info/46yJixt)

Marjorie Saint-LotCountry Manager for Uber Ghana and the Ivory CoastUber (https://apo-opa.info/45minno)

Joseph NdabaCEO of Mafikeng Digital Innovation Hub4IR Commissioner: Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Commission (https://apo-opa.info/48IAhUv)

Marion BalandraFounder & CEOMeridian Remote Teams (https://apo-opa.info/3RHf8E3)

Evan JonesCEOThe Collective X (https://apo-opa.info/3RP8Dir)

Badi SudhakaranCo-FounderVALR.com (https://apo-opa.info/45iLiIU)

Nfaly SyllaChief of CabinetMinistry of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy, Republic of Guinea (https://apo-opa.info/46yzZxs)

Mumbi Ndung’uChief Growth and OperationsPower Learn Project (https://apo-opa.info/48QSa3w)

Dr Cherise DunnCo-founder and COOSouth Africa Makes (https://apo-opa.info/46yrSks)

Judith GardinerVice President, Growth and Emerging MarketsEquinix (https://apo-opa.info/46jvC9O)

Robinson Tombari SibeMD/CEODigital Footprints (https://apo-opa.info/3Q3M4oW)

Bernard WanyamaPresident, Kampala ChapterISACA (https://apo-opa.info/3tgQSyh)

Ryan Van den BerghManaging Executive: Group Technology Strategy, Architecture, Spectrum & AssuranceVodacom (https://apo-opa.info/45l7DWt)

Andy HalsallCEOpoa! Internet (https://apo-opa.info/46ArUrZ)

Sabrine ChennaouiCo-FounderMONSAPO (https://apo-opa.info/3tjBYHA)

Pablo MlikotaSenior Vice President – International Mobility Servicese& GROUP (https://apo-opa.info/3ZEWvT7)

John DaviesTMT Equity Research Analyst, EMEA, TMTBloomberg Intelligence (https://apo-opa.info/3Q4dAmn)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

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Promotional Event of CIFTIS Successfully Held in Singapore

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6 minutes ago

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April 25, 2025

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CIFTIS

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 April 2025 – On April 23rd, a promotional event organized by a delegation from the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) was successfully held in Singapore, expanding new frontiers for the digital economy in Southeast Asia and promoting in-depth regional cooperation.

On April 23rd, the Singapore Promotion Event of CIFTIS, the China-Southeast Asia Digital Infrastructure Cooperation Forum, and the Seminar on the Construction of an International Cooperation Ecosystem for the Digital Economy were successfully held in Singapore. During the opening ceremonies of the two meetings, Yin Liang, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Trade in Services Affairs Center, stated that the digital economy in Southeast Asia is developing rapidly. China and Singapore have achieved fruitful cooperation in the digital economy, and digital infrastructure construction is poised for an exponential growth opportunities. He expressed hope that both sides will further utilize the CIFTIS platform in the future to deepen cooperation and explore business opportunities together.

The Singapore Promotion Event of CIFTIS and the China-Southeast Asia Digital Infrastructure Cooperation Forum (DITF) deeply explored how AI computing power can empower industrial transformation and how China’s experience can help Southeast Asia initiate a new era of AI infrastructure construction.

Yin Liang, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Trade in Services Affairs Center, said that as an important window for China’s opening up to the outside world, Beijing is committed to advancing the construction of the National Comprehensive Pilot Zone for the Expansion of Opening-up in the Service Sector and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone, as well as improving the international service system. In his address, Huang Chao, Executive Chairman of DITC for China, stated that the digital economy in Southeast Asia is experiencing takeoff, attracting investment from the international community, including China. He emphasized that only through ecosystem co-construction and localized practice can the investment boom be transformed into genuine industrial upgrading.

During the keynote session, Lin Chaoting, Vice President of Zhipu AI (a leading Chinese AI company), highlighted China’s digital globalization efforts, showcasing Zhipu’s AI agent products and flexible deployment solutions. She called for the creation of global joint labs and innovation hubs to advance AI industry development worldwide. Industry experts from Midea and Tencent Cloud also delivered thematic presentations.

The workshop session, themed “Focusing on Ecosystem Co-construction and Localized Practice: How Investment Booms and Transnational Strategies Accelerate Southeast Asia’s Industrial Restructuring,” explored core topics such as the digital industry’s key pillars (data centers, cloud networks), localized cloud service development, AI advancements, and collaborative digital ecosystem building. They explored how local enterprises in Southeast Asia and multinational corporations, especially Chinese companies expanding globally, can build cross-cultural market competitiveness through strategies such as ecosystem building, localization of teams, cultivation of strategic partner ecosystems, and deployment of cutting-edge technologies, thereby accelerating the development of digital infrastructure in Southeast Asia and achieving a win-win path of regional collaborative development.

During the Seminar on the Construction of an International Cooperation Ecosystem for the Digital Economy, industry experts and entrepreneur representatives from China and Singapore engaged in a heated discussion on topics such as Singapore’s “Smart Nation” experience and how Beijing’s digital economy enterprises can expand into the Singaporean international market.

At the global technology event—GITEX ASIA 2025, a delegation composed of several leading Chinese digital service trade enterprises made a collective appearance, showcasing China’s innovative achievements and impressive capabilities in the digital economy.

In addition to the forums and exhibitions, an international exchange event titled “Digital Luminary: Southeast Asia’s Future Night” was also held, with the participation of many technology companies, including China Telecom International, Alibaba Cloud, Laihua Technology, and Zhipu AI.

The successful holding and exhibition of the Singapore Promotion Event of CIFTIS and the Digital Service Trade Delegation have demonstrated China’s strong strength and innovative achievements in the digital economy, providing an important platform for digital economy cooperation between China and Singapore, as well as the broader Southeast Asian region.

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Reload Logistics Releases Outlook Report: “Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential”

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15 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Reload Logistics

New insights highlight infrastructure, digital innovation, and sustainability shaping regional trade

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 24, 2025/APO Group/ –As trade corridors expand and the demand for sustainable supply chain solutions grows, Reload Logistics (www.ReloadLogistics.com) has released an industry outlook report titled “Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential in 2025 and Beyond.” The report sheds light on transformative trends in infrastructure, trade integration, and digital innovation driving Southern Africa’s logistics landscape.

Key insights from the report include:

  • Critical Minerals Driving Growth: Southern Africa provides around 30% of the world’s critical minerals for electric vehicles, including cobalt and copper, contributing to the transition towards cleaner energy.
  • Strategic Infrastructure Investments: The Kasomeno-Mwenda Road Project is removing over 300km from DRC-to-Tanzania routes, while the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project plans to double port capacity to 30 million tons by 2030.
  • Technological Transformation: Tech logistics solutions have improved route optimization by up to 15%.
  • Sustainability Imperatives: By 2030, demand for green logistics could reach approximately $350 billion globally, with exporters increasingly adopting lower-carbon transport options.
  • Transformative Trade Corridors: Port developments at Dar es Salaam, Durban, Walvis Bay, and Beira are enhancing efficiencies and opening cross-border opportunities.

The report projects that by 2030, the African Continental Free Trade Area will boost intra-African trade by over 50%, creating new commodity flows while regional infrastructure investments address network gaps.

Download the full report (https://apo-opa.co/3RuAwLx) to explore how your business can stay ahead in the evolving logistics landscape of Southern Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Reload Logistics

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African Mining Week (AMW) to Spotlight Investor Strategies Driving Africa’s Mineral Industrialization

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16 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

By

Energy Capital

African Mining Week 2025 will convene global investors in Cape Town to explore financing strategies, geopolitical trends and ESG factors driving Africa’s mineral industrialization

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 24, 2025/APO Group/ –African Mining Week (AMW) – taking place from October 1–3, 2025, in Cape Town – will connect global investors with high-impact opportunities across Africa’s mining sector, spotlighting the strategies fueling the continent’s mineral industrialization.

A key highlight of the event will be a high-level panel, The Investor Perspective: Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization. The session will explore the evolving investment landscape and examine diverse financing mechanisms – including bank loans, private equity, venture capital and impact investing – that are mobilizing capital into African mining.

DFIs Drive Infrastructure Investments

Attracted by strong returns and Africa’s long-term growth potential, development finance institutions (DFIs) are ramping up investments into the continent’s mining infrastructure. In March 2025, the African Development Bank approved a $150 million loan to Mauritania’s state-owned mining company SNIM and committed $500 million to the Lobito Corridor – a strategic railway project linking Angola, the DRC and Zambia to international markets. Meanwhile, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is backing several critical mineral projects, including Nyanza Light Metals’ $780 million PGMs facility in South Africa, Gecamines’ expansion in the DRC, Giyani Metals’ manganese development in Botswana and FG Gold’s project in Sierra Leone. Between 2014 and 2024, AFC invested over $1 billion into Africa’s mining sector. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is also deepening its commitment, providing more than $750 million toward the Lobito Corridor, $34 million for Pensana’s Longonjo rare earths project in Angola and $3.2 million to Chillerton’s green copper development in Zambia.

Geopolitics and African Prospects

Geopolitical shifts are intensifying the global race for Africa’s critical minerals, vital for the energy transition and digital economy. From 2019 to 2023, companies from the United Arab Emirates committed over $110 billion to African projects. In early 2025, UAE-based Ambrosia Investment Holding acquired a 50% stake in Allied Gold’s projects in Ethiopia and Mali, investing $375 million to scale up gold production. Canadian mining investment on the continent has now surpassed $37 billion, with companies like Ivanhoe Mines, Fortuna Silver, Pioneer Lithium and Trigon Metals leading expansion efforts. Similarly, Australia’s mining footprint in Africa reached $60 billion in asset value in 2024, supported by firms such as Sovereign Metals, Cazaly Resources and Atlantic Lithium.

Private Placements

Private placements are emerging as a preferred capital-raising vehicle for mining ventures across Africa. Companies including Zanaga Iron Ore, Moab Minerals, Global Atomic Corporation, Premier African Minerals and Trigon Metals are leveraging this mechanism to fast-track project development and attract investor interest. As ESG criteria take center stage in investment decision-making, AMW will serve as a platform for financiers and project developers to engage on sustainability metrics, transparency and responsible investing.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power

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